5 Middle Eastern Directors to Know At Cannes

The Middle East teems with creative talent!

Arab cinema has produced some of the most notable, award winning, movies on an international scale – from Haifa Mansour to Nadine Labaki, Middle Eastern directors are being recognized at some of the world’s most important film festivals. Taking place from 6^th-17^th July for its 74th edition, these are the 5 Middle Eastern directors to know about at Cannes Film Festival this year…

By Amrita Singh

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Nabil Ayouch

Nabil Ayouch’s “High And Loud” will be competing for the prestigious Palm d’Or at Cannes this year. The film focuses on the story of a former rapper who is employed at a youth center in a working class neighborhood in Casablanca and encourages a group of young people who want to live by their own rules in the modern world, and use hip hop culture to express themselves.

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Asghar Farhadi

Following the premiere of his film “Everybody Knows,” which stars Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, which opened the Cannes Film Festival in 2018, ASghar Farhadi returns to the festival with another movie which is in the official line up.

Making its debut, “A Hero,” by the Iranian director tells the story of a man who is in jail because of a debt he couldn’t repay. When he tries to convince his creditor to drop the charges, things do not go as planned.

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Hafsia Herzi

Premiering her second film as director, Tunisian Algerian actress turned filmmaker, Hafsia Herzi will be presenting her second directorial project, “Bonne Mere,” which will premiere in the Un Certain Regard category.

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Hasan Semih Kaplanoglu

Representing Turkey at the film festival with his movie “Commitment Hasan,” Hasan Semih Kaplanoglu’s film “Comitment Hasan,” is a 2021 Turkish drama film. The film has selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section.

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Karim Ainouz

Brazilian-Algerian director, Karim Ainouz’s “Mariner of the Mountain,” will be presented in the Special Sessions section of the festival this year.

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Music, Film & Television

5 Middle Eastern Directors to Know At Cannes

The Middle East teems with creative talent!

Nabil Ayouch

Asghar Farhadi

Hafsia Herzi

Hasan Semih Kaplanoglu

Karim Ainouz

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